
Huawei founder
Ren Zhengfei's second daughter, Annabel Yao, appeared publicly at a Beijing press conference on September 14, after overseas rumours that his family had lost contact and left China. Neither
Ren nor Huawei had publicly addressed the rumours as of Wednesday, and before her appearance they had for a time spread ever more widely, Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
The rumours circulated widely on Chinese-language websites outside China. One claim held that
Ren had gone out of contact before new Chinese exit and entry rules took effect on September 15, and a screenshot purporting to show an internal Huawei conversation said chairman Liang Hua had been unable to reach him for two consecutive days. Another alleged that a minivan drove from
Ren's residence toward the Shenzhen coast in the early hours of September 11, suggesting the whole family had fled. None of the screenshots, videos or related claims had been verified, CNA reported. Information on the Chinese internet showed
Ren meeting publicly in late August with people from GAC, Huaneng, Zhongshan University and other companies and institutions.
The press conference, held at Junwangfu in Beijing, was for the second season of "City of Intangible Heritage," a cultural reality show on Youku, the video platform owned by Alibaba. Yao, who also hosted the first season, returns as host of the second with the title of "intangible heritage experience officer," and the new season is scheduled to premiere on September 23, CNA reported, citing Chinese media. At the event she spoke about visiting historic cities and sites for the season, among them Qufu in Shandong, Guilin in Guangxi and Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, and trying the related crafts. After the event she posted on her Sina Weibo account about attending it, along with several photos taken at Junwangfu.
Figures referenced: Ren Zhengfei. — JudgeMarket.